"With Lara, it was all about her," said one source. "With Kyly it's all about him."

Clarke told the world of his joy of getting secretly married on Twitter back in May.

"Happiest guy in the world. Married @KylyBoldy yesterday in front of our gorgeous families. Couldn't be happier!" he wrote.

Boldy echoed: "Luckiest Woman in the world! Married @MClarke23 on the 15th of May 2012. Greatest day of my life, so proud to be your Wife."

Before that, the Clarke-Bingle relationship was the most talked about in Australian sport. It first became public when the model spent New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour with the Australian team and their families in 2007. She was photographed the next morning leaving the team hotel.

Later came the $200,000 ring, an Aston Martin and a proposal in New York's Central Park.

It ended in tears when he left the Australian tour of New Zealand in 2010 when Bingle was involved in a nude photo scandal in a picture taken by AFL star Brendan Fevola.

After announcing the relationship was over, he returned to Wellington and smashed 168 against the Kiwis. It was the first sign that life after Lara would mean a vast improvement in his batting average.

Sport is littered with stories of stars who often struggle without a stable personal life. Look at Quade Cooper since he got out of a steady relationship with Stephanie Rice.

When they were together, he was the hottest player in rugby union. The Parramatta Eels wanted him. He's now off with the rah-rahs and not one of the 16 NRL clubs wants a bar of him. Today he's holding a press conference in Brisbane to announce a fight deal. Care factor zero.

Four years ago, Blues Origin skipper Paul Gallen's reputation was so trashed his agent couldn't even get him a free pair of footy boots. He tore the bandage off Gold Coast forward Anthony Laffranchi's head wound during a game in 2008 and was also fined $10,000 after being accused of racially abusing Dragons forward Mickey Paea.

He found a partner, had kids and is now married, happily settled and respected by all.

He has sponsorship deals with companies including King Gee, Toyota, Lonsdale, Blades and News Limited. Manly forward Anthony Watmough was a total ratbag before settling down and marrying his partner Elle McLeod. Champion jockey Damien Oliver blamed his betting scandal on the fact his marriage and personal life was a mess.

Happy wife, happy life.

* * *

TV deal lets Broncos trample the cap

THE salary cap was designed to keep the NRL premiership on a level playing field.

It's almost a waste of time because the TV deal gives the Broncos such a massive advantage. Don't worry about the benefit of having a full week to prepare for each Friday night game, the real advantage comes off the field.

The Broncos already have a huge edge by being a one-team, one-town club.

Just about every big business gets behind them, while the nine Sydney clubs are cannibalising each other in the one market.

The Channel 9 exposure almost every week makes it so much easier for the Broncos' sales team. Certainly a lot easier than the Canberra Raiders, who get one free-to-air game in the first 20 rounds.

The Broncos get millions extra in sponsorship on the jersey, the sleeve and the shorts, and hundreds of thousands more than rival clubs in ground advertising.

It allows them to use the money to get a huge edge in sports science. It allows them to have a bigger and better coaching staff. It makes it easier for their players to get third-party deals.

It allows them to put in place the best recruitment program and to offer more to attract members.

Hopefully, our new leader David Smith will do something about it.

* * *

Welcome to first grade

IT was a shame new NRL boss David Smith wasn’t better briefed by a media minder before his debut press conference on Friday. He could well turn out to be an excellent chief executive but the first impression andhis obvious lack of footy knowledge was a worry.

* * *

Sharks better be quick

THE Cronulla Sharks have been without a chief executive since Richard Fisk left to become a spin doctor for Nathan Tinkler at the Hunter Sports Group. Stuart Clark announced he was standing down from the Sydney Sixers last week. He lives in the Shire, is a trained lawyer and obviously a wonderful young sporting administrator. He would be an ideal candidate for the Sharks job.

* * *

HIGHLIGHT - The return of Bill Lawry to the Channel 9 commentary box after missing the Gabba Test. Theold pigeon is still the one.

LOWLIGHT - Another Ricky Ponting failure in Adelaide. Just as he was getting settled and playing some beautiful shots, he played one on to his stumps. This columnist has been his greatest fan but sadly the writing is on the wall. He desperately needs a ton in Perth

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